Monteilh makes weight

"I had to eat poi and drink water and wear heavy jeans for the weigh-in"

Everyone's heard stories about college football players who were too big for Pop Warner when they were kids.

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Keao Monteilh had the opposite problem.

"I was 66 pounds and you had to be 70," he said, recalling when he started playing football at age 11. "I had to eat poi and drink water and wear heavy jeans for the weigh-in. Back then I was wondering if I'd ever make it to high school ball."

Monteilh has come a long way since he barely made weight for the Manoa Paniolos as a fifth-grader. He blossomed at Saint Louis School, and is now a 5-foot-11, 193-pound junior battling with Desmond Thomas to start at safety for the University of Hawaii.

Yesterday at practice, Monteilh ended a long interception drought, picking one off during red zone drills.

Defensive backs coach Rich Miano has called the competition between Monteilh and Thomas a dead heat.

By contrast, senior defensive tackle Mike Lafaele has a starting spot sewn up. But he banged up his right hand badly yesterday and will rest it today. "Too much club," he said.

Lafaele is among six starters dealing with injuries, but none are expected to miss the Sept. 1 opener against Northern Colorado.

Also, the first wave of players from Kapolei High School is beginning to make its presence felt at UH.